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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. P. MoELROY.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

No. 562,142. Patented June 16, 1896.

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6; WM W (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. J. P. MOELROY. ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Patented June 16, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. MCELROY, OF ALBANY, NEIV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE CONSOLI- DATEDCAR-IIEATING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 562,142, dated June 16,1896. Application filed December 29, 1894. Serial No. 533,257. (Nomodel.)

To (tZZ whont it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES F. MGELROY, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of Albany, State of New York,

have invented a new and useful Electric Switch, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to mechanism for regulating and controlling theelectric current and is an improvement upon the switch described andshown in Letters Patent No. 4119,3623, dated June 13, 1893, althoughembodying the same general principle of breakin g the circuit beforeshifting the switch, and

I 5 at the same time retaining the switch in a locked position until thecircuit is broken; and it consists in certain modifications in theconstruction of the cylinder and the means for locking and unlocking thesame, which are hereinafter described and claimed, and by means of whichI am enabled to construct a simpler, more compact, and cheaper switch,as well as one less liable to be accidentally deranged. I attain thisobject by means of 2 5' the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan showing the switch in connection.Fig. 2 is a section along the line 1 1 011 Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a planshowing the connection broken. Fig. 4 is a section along the line 2 2 onFig. 1. Fig. 5 is a section along the line 3-3 on Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is aview in perspective of the plate P. Fig. 7 is a view of the handle-arm.Fig. 8 is a detail view of the contact-arm C. Fig. 9 is a section alongthe line 4. e on Fig. 1. Fig. 10 is a view of the contact-plate 0. Fig.11 shows the relative position of the brushes and contact-points in theposition indicated by numeral 1 in Fig. 15. Fig. 12 shows the relativeposition of the brushes and contactpoints in the position indicated bynumeral 2 in Fig. 15. Fig. 13 shows the relative position of the brushesand contact-points in 5 the position indicated by numeral 3 in Fig. 15.Fig. ll shows the relative position of the brushes and contact-points inthe position indicated by numeral 0 in Fig. 15. Fig.

15 is an end elevation, partly broken away, showing the knob K andindicator 011 the frame of the switch; and Fig. 16 represents a seriesof electric heaters in a car.

Similar letters and figures refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

To the bottom a of the inclosed frame A, I secure the plate P in anysuitable manner, the plate Pbein g nearly right-angled in form, havingat about midway between its ends the upwardly-projecting spindle 1) andat one end the post B, at the other end a right-an- 6o gled upwardlyprojecting bracket I). lietween the spindle and the bracket Z) I arrangethe spindle d. Near the outer edge of the plate P and separated a shortdistance from the spindle d I arrange the lug c. l place upon thespindle p the contact-arm 0, adapted to engage with the contact-posts DD, secured to the base-piece a of the frame. The upper surface of theeontactarm C is provided with the lug E, and near the hub p I arrangethe right-angled lug f, and on the opposite side of the upper surface ofthe contact-arm from the lug f I arrange the upwardly-projecting lug g.

Upon the spindle p I place the arm II, and 7 5 on the upper surface andnear one end of the arm H, I arrange the lug i. On the under surface ofthe arm II, just forward of the opening h, and therefore of the spindlep when the arm is placed in position thereon, So I arrange thedownwardly-projecting plates I and J, which come into contact with thelug g on the arm 0.

I secure one end of a spring S to the lug E, projecting from thecontact-arm C, said spring 8 5 being wound about the lug h on the arm H,the other end of said spring being attached to the lug e' 011 the armII. The cap h is placed on the reduced portion of the spindle p abovethe hub of the arm II, held 0 by a pin 7L3 orin any other suitablemanner. The arm II is provided with a handle II at one end. On thespindle d I pivot the catch L, which is acted upon by the spring I,which rests upon the lug c at one end and upon the 5 lug e, placed onthe under surface of the catch L, at the other end. The catch I1 isadapted to engage the loose end 0 of the contact-arm C, the resiliencyof the spring ltending to hold the catch L in contact with the end 0.

Upon the side of the arm II adjacent to the catch L, I arrange a lug Min such a manner that when the handle H is moved in the directionindicated by arrows in Fig. 1, the lug M will come into contact with thestud Z on the catch L, liberating the catch L from the end 0 of thecontact-arm C, as shown by dotted lines in Fig 1.

The movement of the handle II not only releases the catch L andincreases the tension of the spring S on the arm 0, but also causes theplate I on the lower surface of the arm H to come into contact, as soonas the catch L is released, with the lug g on the upper surface of thecontact-arm O, when a further slight movement of the handle H will causethe plate I, being in contact with the lug g, to release the contact-armC from the spring contact-post D, when the resiliency of the spring Swill cause the contact-arm O to be thrown back in an abrupt and positivemanner, which releases the lug J from the notch r in the ring R on thecylinder N, as shown in Fig. 3.

To the post B at the end of the plate P, I secure one end of a cylinderN by means of a bolt 71, the other end of the cylinder being mounted inthe bracket N and having attaehed thereto the knob K outside of theframe A, the knob K being provided with an indicator-point K. Aboutmidway between the ends of the cylinder N, I provide anupwardly-projecting ring B, into which I cut a series of notches r,withwhich the right-angled lug f on the contact-arm C engages. The positionof the notches is such that when the lug f is engaged in one of them thecylinder is in one of the positions indicated on the dial, and contactcannot be made at the posts D D except when the lug f enters a notch. Tothe end of the cylinder through which the bolt n passes, I arrange aplate 0, constructed of some metallic substance, which fits over the endof the cylinder N, and has a projecting portion 0, curved to correspondto the contour of the periphery of the cylinder, and fitting into thecylinder in the position shown in Fig. 2. Near the opposite end of thecylinder N, I arrange a metallic c011- tact-piece T, which is providedwith a curved portion corresponding to the contour of the periphery ofthe cylinder, and which is held in position by means of a screw 2, asshown in Fig. 2, or in any suitable manner.

To the post B, and on the side opposite to that to which the cylinder Nis mounted, I arrange the support of the brush V by means of the bolts ua or in any suitable manner, insulating said brush and bolts to a fromcontact with the post B by means of rubber, asbestos, or other suitablematerial, as shown by u. The brush V extends above the cylinder and hasits end arranged to rest upon the surface of the cylinder in the planethereof in which the contact-piece O is placed. In contact with the sameplane of the cylinder N, I arrange the brush U, which is secured to therod U. Near the opposite end of the cylinder I arrange the brush IV,secured to the bracket N and in the same plane of the cylinder in whichthe contact plate T is placed. The brush X, also secured to the rod U,is also arranged in the same plane with the brush IV. The brush V isconnected by wire Z to the heaters in the car.

T is the trolley-wire, connected with the contact-posts D D. The rod Uis connected by the wire Y to a circuit-of heaters. The bracket N isconnected by the wire Z to the ground.

The circuit when the brushes U and V are in the position shown in theupper portion of Fig. 11 and the brushes W and X are in the positionshown in the lower portion of Fig. 11 is as follows: The current comesthrough the plate P, therefore through the post B and bolt 02 into theplate 0 in contact with the bolt 12, into the contact-plate 0, a portionof the plate 0, where it is in contact with the brush U, whence it goesto the wire Y, from whence it is conducted to the heaters.

Referring to Fig. 16, the position of the brushes by which theconnection of the wires is made is indicated on Fig. 16 by the numbers1, 2, and 3, which are the numbers corresponding to those on theindicator. Thus in the first position, as already stated, the currentpasses from the brush U into the rod U through the wire Y, from whenceit passes to heaters 4, 5, 6, 7, S, 9, 10, and 11, from whence it passesto the ground through wire G, makingeight in series. It will be noticedthat the brushes IV and X are neither one in contact with the metallicconnecting-plate T in the first position. In the second position, thebrush V is in contact, and the current passes into the brush V throughthe wire Z into heaters 8, 9, 10, and 11, through the wire G to theground, neither one of the brushes \V and X being on the contact-point,making four in series. In the third position, the brush V is on thecontact-plate O, and the current passes through the wire Z into heaters8, 0, 10, and 11 through the wire G to the ground, and the brushes 7 andX are both on the contactplate T, the current passing to heaters 7, 6,5, and 4 through wire Y into red U through brush X into plate T throughbrush \V through wire Z to the ground, all four being in multipleseries. In the 0 position. neither of the brushes is in contact, and thecurrent is oif.

As shown in Fig. 16, I arrange the heaters 4:, 5, 6, '7, 8, 9, 10, and11 in two series. In Fig. 16, the positions of the brushes in connectionwith the wires are indicated by the letters of the brushes \V, X, U, andV, and the wires that are connected are shown by the Figs. 1, 2, and 3corresponding with the ligures of the indicator and in the firstposition, the two circuits of heaters are in series; that is, all theheaters are placed in series and I obtain a flow of about two andone-half amperes. In the second position, the current passes through butone circuit, that is, onehalf of the heaters are placed in series andthe other half standing open, and I obtain a flow of about four amperesand a corresponding increase of heat. In the third position, in whichthe two circuits are placed in multiple, I have a flow of about eightamperes with a corresponding increase of heat.

The switch overcomes the difficulties heretofore experienced inoperating switches on very high potential currents, in that the openingof the circuit is not effected at the surface of the cylinder, but iseffected at the end of the long lever or connecting-arm. It alsoprevents the burning out of the switch by persons attempting to rotatethe cylinder and causing sparking of the contacts on the surface of thecylinder.

It is noticeable that the contact-arm cannot be closed unless therotating cylinder is in one of the four positions for making contacts onits surface, since the wing or lug f strikes against the flange in allother positions.

My switch is usually placed on the end of a car where it can be operatedby the c011- ductor or motorman. It is very compact in form, protectedfrom dirt and foreign matter by the box or frame A, leaving the knob Kand the handle H exposed and provided with an indicator showing theposition of the switch. When it is necessary to diminish or increase thetemperature of the car, by moving the handle II, the contact is brokensuddenly and positively, allowing the cylinder to be revolved to theposition deemed advisable and which is shown by the figures on theindieator, the handle H is forced into position and the contact is madewithout sparkin g, and the cylinder is locked automatically.

By means of the construction described, the cylinder can be constructedwith much less trouble and expense than the one heretofore described andpatented to me in the patent referred to. The arrangement of theswitchlever is also simpler and in a position which permits of theswitch occupying much less compass, is less liable to be deranged byaccident, blows, or other contacts with moving substances. These aredecided advantages when it is considered that such switches are to beprincipally used for the purpose of 0011- trolling the electric heatingof street-railway cars operated by motors and other sources of electricsupply.

lVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. In an electric switch, a cylinder principally composed of insulatingmatter carrying a connecting-plug at one end thereof in permanentelectrical connection, with a source of electrical supply through theaxle thereof, brushes arranged to receive electricity from said plug,and secondary plug in the periphery thereof adapted to electricallyconnect corresponding brushes, one of which is electricall y connectedwith one of the first-named brushes, substantially as described and forthe purpose set forth.

In an electric switch, a cylinder principally composed of insulatingmatter carrying a connecting-plug at one end thereof in permanentelectrical connection, with a source of electrical supply through theaxle thereof, brushes arranged to receive electricity from said plug,and secondary plug in the periphery thereof adapted to electricallyconnect corresponding brushes, one of which is electrically connectedwith one of the first-named brushes, a locking-ring rigidly surroundingsaid cylinder and means for locking the same in predetermined positions,substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an electric switch, a cylinder principally composed of insulatingmatter carrying a connecting-plug at one end thereof in permanentelectrical connection, with a source of electrical supply through theaxle thereof, brushes arranged to receive electricity from said plug,and secondary plug in the periphery thereof adapted to electricallyconnect corresponding brushes, one of which is electrically connectedwith one of the first-named brushes, a locking-ring rigidly surroundingsaid cylinder, and means for locking the same in predeterminedpositions, means connected with said locking device whereby the circuitis opened in advance of unlocking and closed independently of saidcylinder and in ad- 9 vance of locking, substantially as described andfor the purpose set forth.

l. In an electric switch, the combination and arrangement of a cylindersuitably mounted and adapted to be rotated and carry ing electricalcontacts in its periphery, means whereby one of said contacts iselectrically connected with the source of electrical supply, brushesadapted to be engaged with said electrical contacts, a compoundspring-actuated lever adapted to make and break contacts in anelectrical line independent of said cylinder, and to lock and unlocksaid cylinder, said lever operating in a plane substantially parallelwith the axis of said cylinder, substantially as described and for thepurpose set forth.

5. An electrical switch, a contact-arm adapted to engage with poles, anactuating-arm provided with a plate adapted to engage with a lug on thecontact-arm, a spring attached at one end of said contact-arm woundabout the hub of the actuating-arm and attached at the opposite end to alug 011 said actuating-arm, a catch adapted to engage with thecontactarm when the contact is made and a cylinder provided withcontacts suitably mounted and adapted to be locked by the transversemovement of a wing formed upon said contact-arm, substantially asdescribed. and for the purpose set forth.

JAMES F. MOELROY.

\Vitnesses:

H. J. NODINE, G. H. DIACK.

